While a gleeful Chaman is leading driving home a now blushingš Angel, Armaan is reading a book called "Caring for Expectant Mothers". He heaves a huge sigh as he puts it down.
Armu: (wide-eyed) Isme toh likha hai ki expectng mothers ko do logon ke liye khaana chahiyeā¦ā¦ (frowning) mujhe nahin lagta ki Jassi theek tareeke se khaa rahi haiā¦.uski diet improve karni hogiā¦ā¦.uske liye koi special dish serve karni chahiyeā¦..
He wanders restlessly into the kitchen, where Bua is tidying the shelves. She smiles, "Kya lega beta? Maine thodi der pehli hi thandi-thandi lassi banayi haiā¦."
Armu: (perplexed) Buaji, mujhe lassi ki nahin, Jassi ki chinta haiā¦..main uske liye kuch banana chahta hunā¦
Bua stares at him in astonishment. "Tuā¦.tu Jassi ke liye kuch banayega..??"
Armu: (pouting slightly) Kyun Buaji? Kya main apni Jassi ke liye itna bhi nahi kar sakta?
Bua is beaming with delight and takes his 'balayein' (warding off the evil eyeā¦.exactly what Apu did with Mona on the SBS Secretary Special episodeš³). Then she creases her forehead and thinks. Armu shuffles around, moving things here and there, aimlessly, looking quizzically at Bua.
AT last, Bua looks at him and grins. "Armaan, tu Jassi ke liye atte ke laddoo kyun nahin banata? Usse pasand bhi hai aur uski khurak bhi poori ho jayegi!"
Armu: Atte ke laddoo?
Bua: Haanā¦bachpan mein Jassi teen-teen kha jaaya karti thiā¦..ab tumhare Mumbai mein toh aise khaalis desi ghee ke laddoo kahaan milte hogeā¦..agar tu waise laddoo usse banaa ke khila de toh wo tere haath choomti reh jayegi! š(nudges him naughtily.)
Armu: (blushing and grinning) Really Buaji? (takes her hands pleadingly) Toh aap meri help karogi na?
Bua: Isme koi poochne wali baat hai?
They set to work, Armu diligently learning how to sift the flour, roast it, knead it, roll itā¦in short, he undergoes a short culinary lesson.š
At last the laddoos are ready. Armu takes a delighted sniff at them. "Buaji, khusboo toh achchi hai!"
Bua: Arre, bane bhi achche haiā¦.aakhir toone itne pyaar se jo banaye hai! Ja, jake Jassi ko khila yeh laddooā¦ā¦
She gives him a plateful and nudges him out. He stealthily walks to his room and sees Jassi sitting on a chair knitting something for the baby, her back to him.
Armu thinks, "Jassi, pata nahin meri cooking kaisi haiā¦lekin mera pyaar bilkul sachcha haiā¦.i hope yeh laddoo tumhe achche lageā¦!"š³
Amrit comes into the kitchen to see Bua grinning from ear to ear. She sees the ghee left over in the kadhai and asks, "Kya baat hai behnjiā¦bade pakvaan bana rahe hoā¦.aakhir kya banaya hai itna ghee daal ke?"
Bua: Maine nahin, aapke daamaad ne banaye haiā¦..atte ke laddooā¦.Jassi ke liye!
Amrit: Armaan neā¦.Jassi ke liye laddoo banayeā¦.?
Bua: Yakeen nahin hota na?! Maine madad ki uskiā¦..bechara soch raha tha ki Jassi ki khuraak poori karne ke liye kuch nayi cheez hoā¦.hai, Babaji aisa daamaad sabko de!
Amrit puts her hand to her forehead. "Behnji, aap bhi na! Aapko pata nahinā¦pichli kayi dino se Jassi ka ji machal raha haiā¦usse toh roti-sabzi bhi theek se nahin khaayi ja rahiā¦.sirf khatta khana chahti haiā¦.main toh uski sabzi mein bhi imli daalti hun, jisse ki wo usse kha sakeā¦ā¦meethi cheez toh wo dekhegi hi nahinā¦.aur aapne laddooā¦ā¦"
Bua's dismay matches Amrit's. She sits down quite suddenly.
"Iska matlab haiā¦..Armaan ki saari mehnat bekaar gayi?"
Tomorrow: Armaan shows Jassi the laddoos
Book Talk
Aami Daakini
